by Tiana Cole
He took to driving her to work every morning, and never asked why he had to drop her off three blocks away from the café… until now. He seemed content to accept tidbits about her life that she was willing to share with him. Cassidy, for her part, never pried into his. She concluded he was a rich kid with rich folks that could indulge his passion in photography.
“See you tonight, then?” Tristan asked, idling at the curb a few blocks away from the coffee shop.
“Okay.”
She was glad to escape his scrutiny and made a move to open the door. It wouldn’t budge. She tried again and looked towards him. His finger was over the power lock. Did he expect her to scramble out the window? It was bad enough he had the convertible top all the way back and she was hunkered down to avoid being seen.
She fidgeted, biting her lip, and nervously asked, “What?”
“Can I at least get a kiss?” he remarked, licking his lips and rubbing his palms in anticipation.
“Tri-Tristan?” she stammered.
He was teasing her. He knew how vulnerable she felt out in the open.
“Oh… Okay… Fine. If you insist.” She rolled her eyes in annoyance, moving nearer to give him a smack on the lips.
She was thrown completely off guard when his arms pulled her close and his lips descended on hers in a torrid, scorching kiss. Her brain screamed a warning, but her arms had a mind of their own as they snaked automatically around his neck.
She didn’t know how long they'd locked lips or from what direction the police officer came until he was clearing his throat.
“Sorry, officer,” Tristan grinned with mischief, releasing the power lock and setting her free.
Cassidy scrambled out, embarrassed, along with wolf-whistles and catcalls of, “get a room, buddy.”
She was mortified and fled down the street towards the café.
“Hold the door, Brian.”
It was Brian, the new cashier. They called him “The Nerd” behind his back because of his geek glasses. He was into computers and often spewed words they couldn’t understand. It was like he came from another planet, but he was otherwise harmless. Cassidy liked him.
“Oh… Hi,” Cassidy managed to greet him before grabbing hold of the glass door for support. The world was suddenly spinning around her. Her breakfast felt like it was rushing up her throat and she wanted to puke. Badly.
She rushed to the ladies room like her pants were on fire. But when she got there, her nausea suddenly disappeared. She felt cold and clammy as she splashed water on her face.
“What the fuck was that?” she asked her reflection on the bathroom wall. “Must be something I ate,” she shrugged as she exited.
The queasiness never left her all day. It was there, hovering like a cloud. And she felt so restricted with her undergarments, like her bra was pinching her nipples. She excused herself, entered the ladies room, and removed it. With the apron on, no one would ever know she was braless. She felt better until the smell of brewing coffee assailed her and she cringed in disgust. She ran back into the ladies room.
“What the fuck is wrong with me?” she muttered to herself.
She knew of a small clinic a few blocks away and vowed to go see a doctor soon, remembering her mom’s condition. Heaven forbid she had cancer, too.
Cassidy was feeling listless when Tristan came around to pick her up. She mustered enough vigor to give him a bright smile.
“Ready for some food?” he asked.
She nodded, feeling a sudden craving for pizza. Tristan brought her to the park near Lincoln Square where they went on their first date. By the time Tristan was on his third slice, she was still nibbling on her first. She had suddenly lost her appetite.
Oblivious, she gave a sigh, giving up on the pizza and blaming it all on work. She never felt like this before. Her dad’s phone call must have affected her more than she admitted to herself.
“Cassidy, please tell me what’s wrong. You have been acting strangely since this morning,” Tristan asked with exasperation.
Cassidy decided to tell him about her mom. This was the first time she'd ever talked about her, and it seemed the better option than actually telling him she was feeling sick.
“I don’t want to lay my problems on you. It’s family. My Mom. She’s very sick. It’s cancer. My Dad is so worried. He takes constant care of her. You wouldn’t believe how sweet he is. She tries to keep him from worrying but we can see the cancer is taking it’s toll.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?" Tristan asked.
Cassidy shrugged nonchalantly.
"I just did,” she replied sharply, annoyance coloring her words. Her worry bubbling through and making her edgy.
“No… I meant about her being sick.”
“It’s not your problem, it’s mine.” She felt uncomfortable telling him. Cancer was such a big threat and tragedy just wasn’t her forte. Saying the words out loud made her mom’s illness seem more real. When she said the word cancer she could feel her stomach tighten. Maybe that’s what was making her feel sick. A good old case of nerves.
He looked at her with furrowed brows before letting out a long-suffering sigh.
“Your pride is such a pain in the ass,” he remarked. “I want to help you. I have some money if you need it.”
Cassidy shook her head vigorously.
“Drop it, Tristan,” she warned. “I don’t want to feel like some kind of mistress that you've paid for. I can handle it, okay?”
They finished the rest of the pizza in silence. Tristan had become taciturn after her outburst. Cassidy knew that her words cut him deeply. It was a generous offer, and she had not handled her refusal well. The man had feelings and she had hurt them. Both remained aloof and distant all the way back to the house. There was going to be no sex tonight, Cassidy thought.
They lay stiffly beside each other on the bed. The silence between them was like a wall that kept them apart.
After a few minutes of waiting to see if he would make the first move, Cassidy turned to face him and whispered softly, “Tristan, I’m sorry for what I said. You have never made me feel like a mistress. It was a low blow, and I’m sorry for saying it.”
“Come here,” he replied, taking her into his arms. “I know that there are a lot of things we don’t know about each other. You’ll probably find out things about me that you won’t like. But I’ll be here for you whenever you need me.”
“Oh, Tristan, what is there not to like about you? I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be beside you right now.”
“My cock sure feels like the lucky one. Here… feel it…” he replied, grabbing her hand and putting it against his erection.
“You’re such a bastard,” she giggled as she started a slow caress.
He threw his head back in ecstasy as Cassidy increased the pressure on his cock. She relaxed her grip and slid her hand up and then down, following the hardness.
"You like that, don’t you?” she asked as she lowered herself down between his thighs.
The frenetic nodding was all the encouragement she needed. She parted her lips slightly, stuck her tongue out, and licked the head of his cock. The dew that had accumulated at the small opening tasted sweet in her mouth. She was on fire now.
She parted her lips even wider and sucked slowly, inch by inch. The sound of his ragged breathing aroused her even more.
“Oh, Cassidy… that feels so good, baby.”
Cassidy increased her tempo, alternating the pressure of her lips around his cock. She wanted all of him.
“Stop, baby, stop… or I’ll cum in your mouth,” Tristan protested.
She didn’t argue when he angled his body and pushed her down on the bed. He trailed soft kisses down her neck and fondled her breasts before undressing her.
His eager hands tugged at the straps of her silky nightdress. She felt his fingers slowly draw up the hem over her knees, up her thighs. His fingers wandered across her swollen lips, tantalizing her with his touch.
Cassidy sucked in her breath wanting more. Then with one swift motion he lifted her back and swept the garment off, tossing it to the floor. His lips trailed kisses from her chin to her chest. Her breathing hitched as his lips took possession of her nipples and sucked on them. When his hands reached down between her legs and parted them wide, she already knew the havoc his fingers and tongue would cause her pussy.
It didn’t take long before she was quivering, holding her orgasm at bay until he was ready to enter her.
Tristan touched her lips with the tip of his cock. A slight pressure opened them enough for his cock to find her nub. She gasped in pleasure as he slid the tip back and forth heightening her arousal.
Then gently he entered. She felt his cock slide against the moisture inside her. He pushed deep. Tristan’s cock felt good inside of her. She grasped him tightly as her vaginal wall contracted. The friction was like gasoline on a burning fire. Her contractions intensified as he thrust.
She clasped her hands behind his neck and met his thrusts perfectly. It wasn’t long before Tristan’s body went rigid, his thrusts more and more frenzied.
“I’m cumming…” Cassidy gasped, panting heavily.
It was all Tristan needed to hear before he released himself inside her.
Cassidy felt a strange stirring inside her heart. It was an intense emotion she'd never felt before, and it caught her by surprise. Tristan had total control over her body. She didn’t mind that, but she realized her heart wanted him to conquer it as well… and it was a thought that scared her shitless.
Chapter Seven
“Ron, do you mind if I take off after lunch? I’d like to go see a doctor. I can’t seem to shake off this bug,” Cassidy complained to her boss.
“Sure thing,” he replied. “You’ve been looking a bit pale lately."
“Thanks, Ron. I shouldn’t take too long. About an hour or two, maybe?” she assured him.
Cassidy was glad Tristan was away for the next couple of days. It was difficult keeping things from him, and she didn’t want him to know she’d be seeing a doctor today. The nausea was coming more often and it was difficult to pretend that everything was alright. She didn’t want to make a big issue of it, but she had to admit that it worried her a bit. She’d never been truly sick in her entire life and the idea of having cancer just like her mom was distressing, to say the least.
She took a bus to Union Square and entered a small waiting room. The receptionist was entertaining another patient as she entered the door.
“Will be with you soon, honey,” she called out, pointing to some chairs by the wall.
Cassidy rifled through some old magazines before the receptionist was ready for her. She asked her to fill out some forms as Cassidy began the laborious task of writing down her medical history on a paper. She ticked off boxes pertinent to her.
Prolonged Medical treatment or repeated admission for treatment –No
Heart condition –No
Diabetes –No
Blood condition –No
Kidney or Bladder disease –No
Cancer –Yes. (Mom. Stage 3 breast cancer.)
An addiction to drugs or alcohol –No
Are you taking any prescribed pills or medication –No
Are you pregnant –No
She handed the form back to the nurse who announced, “Dr. Perry will see you now.”
Cassidy entered the doctor’s office. It was small with an examination table pushed back against one side of the wall. Dr Perry, an elderly gentleman with bushy white hair and twinkling blue eyes, motioned her to sit in one of two chairs fronting a table littered with medical reports and tests results.
“What can I do for you, Missy?” he asked in a melodic voice.
“I’ve been feeling sick lately. I think I must have caught a virus or something…” Cassidy replied as she recounted the nausea, lack of appetite, and the constant headaches. “…and because my mom has cancer, I’m scared I might have it too,” she ended.
Doctor Perry listened attentively before he said, “Tut! Tut! Tut! Let’s not jump into any conclusions yet. Most people are born with a gene mutation that they inherited from their mother or father. We often refer to this as a damaged gene that puts someone at higher risk for cancer than a person who does not possess that gene. It normally lays dormant in the body, but can be triggered by too much stress or an unhealthy lifestyle.”
Cassidy nodded her head, trying to keep up with the doctor.
“So… how will I know if I have it or not?”
“We can usually determine it through a simple blood test. I need to draw blood from you.”
She swallowed hard. She always hated needles.
Doctor Perry smiled at her reaction and said, “Oh, you’ll hardly feel a thing. I’ll give you a lollipop if you don’t cry.”
Cassidy laughed and was instantly at ease. The doctor was telling her the truth. She closed her eyes as the needle entered her skin. It was like getting bit by an ant.
“There you go… Come back in thirty minutes. We should have the results by then.”
She spent the time waiting by sitting on a bench, munching on a hotdog in a park just across the street. She mused over how great things were going between herself and Tristan. Although they hadn’t discussed their relationship seriously, Cassidy had never been happier. Tristan was easy: undemanding and with a great sense of humor. He wasn’t the type of guy who held back when they were having sex. He came with guns blazing. Cassidy had no complaints. Neither did he poke his nose in into the things she did when they weren’t together. He accepted her quirkiness and said it made her more desirable.
Since that night at the park when she rebuffed his offer to help with her mom’s medical expenses, he'd never talked about it again. Sometimes she wondered if she did the right thing. His offer could ease her family’s burden, but the thought made her cringe. It wasn’t like they had some sort of commitment. If he was her fiancée or her husband, maybe things would be different.
Fiancée? Is he even the marrying type? She wondered silently.
There was really a lot she didn’t know about him. Where did he go everyday when she was out working? He must have a large allowance from his rich parents. He didn’t seem to do anything else except for his photography. What else was he into?
When he casually mentioned last night that he would be gone for a couple of days, she was tempted to ask why, where, and when he was coming back, until she realized it wasn’t her business to pry. He did suggest that she stay instead of going back to her apartment, but Cassidy said no. He shrugged his shoulders and left it at that.
“You’re such an obstinate little creature,” he muttered, before taking her into his arms.
Cassidy missed him now that he was gone. She would have wanted him to be her with her to hold her hand if the results of the blood test were bad. Glancing at her watch, she realized Doctor Perry should have them by now. She chucked the remains of the hotdog and the paper cup into a nearby trash bin. She walked briskly back into the clinic, quite aware of how nervous she was to hear the results.
The nurse at the reception gave her an odd look she couldn’t fathom, and then ushered her straight to the doctor’s office. Doctor Perry was studying a piece of paper and gave her a warm smile before gesturing for her to take a seat. Cassidy felt her heart beating like a caged animal inside her chest. This was the moment of truth.
“Well,” Doctor Perry began, slowly placing the paper on table, “the good news is you don’t have any signs of cancer in your blood…”
“Oh thank goodness,” Cassidy sighed in relief.
“…there is something else that you have, however,” he added.
Cassidy stiffened, her relief vanishing into thin air.
“I see from your medical form that you’re single. Am I right?” Doctor Perry asked.
Cassidy nodded, wondering what that had to do with being sick or not.
“You have a boyfriend?”
She nodded again, wondering where this was leading to.
“You’ve been having unprotected sex.”
Cassidy nodded, flushing. It wasn’t a question. And then it hit her.
“Do I have some kind of STD?” she asked in shock.
Doctor Perry’s face turned serious. Cassidy blanched. She was right. Tristan had given her an STD.
“No! No! No! You don’t have any sexually transmitted diseases.”
Cassidy fell back into the chair with relief.
“Miss Johnson, it appears you’re pregnant! I believe six to seven weeks, if my estimate is correct.”
Cassidy staggered. Doctor Perry could have hit her with a feather and she would have fallen backwards if she wasn’t already seated.
“How? Wait, what? Huh?” she stammered, unable to make a coherent thought.
"My dear girl, babies are usually the result of having sex. And if you have no birth control, well… this is what happens.”
Cassidy turned into a statue. Her legs felt leaden and her arms flopped by her side. She hardly understood the questions Doctor Perry asked. Her world was spinning and yet everything fell into place. The nausea, feeling ill all the time, the sudden mood swings, the smell of coffee that she found detestable: these were all symptoms of pregnancy.
She was pregnant. She was going to have a baby. Tristan’s baby.
“Oh my God!” She exclaimed, startled and surprised.
“You haven’t discussed this possibility with him, then?” Doctor Perry asked sympathetically.
Cassidy shook her head.
“You have options if this isn’t something you want.”
“An abortion?” she asked in horror.
“That’s only one of them. I was going to say adoption. Give the baby up after you’ve given birth. Abortion is not something I would suggest, but yes, it is an option for you. And you’re still in the early stages for it to be done safely.”
Cassidy was staggered. Were those her only options?
“Miss Johnson,” Doctor Perry continued, “in all the years that I’ve been a doctor, I have seen countless girls go through the same thing. There is one piece of advice I always give, and it is to talk to the father of the baby. Don’t make this decision by yourself.”